Tintin and the Queen's Jewel
by Monkeys-ftw
Summary: A strange looking necklace, thugs, crime, mystery and a secret organisation! Join Tintin, Captain Haddock, Snowy and a few of my OC's in this classic adventure. Set about 6 months after the film.
1. A storm's coming

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not, have not, and will not ever, never, never, ever own The Adventures of Tintin. The stories and characters are purely owned by Herge :)**

**Hi my name is Caitlyn. My hair is ruby red, I come from the land down under (Australia) and I am a HUGE fan of Herge's Adventures of Tintin. The comics, tv show and the movie :) This is my first ever fanfiction so please R&R. Constructive criticism is also appreciated. Enjoy! :D **

Storm clouds growled over the docks as disgruntled sea men were rushing to get their imports under cover of the stock houses before the torrential rain hit.

"Blistering barnacles, there's a hell of a storm comin' our way lad; I hope it doesn't ruin all the cargo!" said a bearded man wearing a blue sailor's jacket and a captain's hat as he walked briskly passed the boats, a newspaper already above his head.

"Don't worry Captain; storm's around here don't normally last very long" his younger companion reassured him. The boy of around 17 was wearing a peculiar outfit complete with a blue sweater, golfing pants and a Sherlock Holmes-like overcoat. A small, white fox terrier was trotting happily by his side.

"I don't know Tintin, a sea man like myself has witnessed many storms like this and ill tell ya, they don't let up easily" the Captain replied looking warily at the dark grey clouds.

The rain had just reached the land as the sailors were securing their boats and double-checking their cargo. Tintin and the Captain found shelter under the little row of shops near the dock.

"You still want to hand that report in today lad? The rain's really picking up and to be frank it is two days _under_due" the captain asked Tintin.

"Well I like handing my work in early, and besides I know I'll forget to do it later" was the reply.

"Well in all honesty, you _are_ easily distracted" the captain said, smiling at past memories.

"Hey! I am very observant thank you very much, and I'll have you know that- wow Captain, look at this!" Tintin stopped mid-sentence to examine a very fine looking typewriter.

"Yup, nothing can shake your keen focus" the Captain said rolling his eyes as he pulled Tintin away from the silver typing thing. "You have a million of these at your apartment, you don't need another".

"But this one is so shiny!" Tintin said pouting slightly, but he realised that the captain was right. He really didn't need another typewriter.

By now, the two were far into the city which was unusually quiet due to everybody taking cover from the incoming storm. A large roar of thunder was followed by a crack of lightning that lit up the gloomy sky and the first set of raindrops started to fall.

"Thundering typhoons that was loud!" the Captain jumped at the unexpected flash. "Tintin I think I might duck into this liquor store for a brief moment just to, uh, browse the bottles. You and Snowy go on ahead to submit your report and meet me back here".

"Sure thing Captain, I won't be long" Tintin replied as he continued walking, Snowy shook off some raindrops before following his master

* * *

"If only he knew what I was put though to get that information, maybe he'd actually respect me a little more" Tintin told Snowy angrily as he walked out of the _Le Petit Vingtiéme_ building, Snowy growled in agreement. He thought back three weeks to his last adventure, subconsciously touching the place on his shoulder where he had been shot.

"Oh well, I'm not in this business for the attention. I'd sooner settle for the excitement and uncovering of the truth and-oof!"

They were walking on the sidewalk near a florist when Tintin felt something solid collide with him and they both tumbled to the ground in a heap. The 'solid something' appeared to be a man; wearing dark clothes and scrambling to his feet. Snowy growled and barked at the stranger as the man dodged around the small dog and immediately took off again.

"Great snakes! Who in the world was that? And why was he in such a hurry?" Tintin asked himself as he rose to his feet just catching a glimpse of the man's black coat as he raced around the corner. "Well whoever he was Snowy, he's gone now. Snowy? Where are you boy?" the little fox terrier was no longer at Tintin's side, but sniffing something on the ground a few metres away.

"What is it boy? What have you found?" Tintin asked Snowy as he walked over to inspect the discovery. It appeared to be some sort of necklace.

The necklace looked old. Very old. The chain was rather long and slightly rusted, and the pendant was very odd indeed. It was large and the edges were flat around a small ball in the middle. The whole pendant was covered in a layer of metal.

"Now why would anybody cover a necklace in metal?" Tintin thought out loud.

"To conceal the beauty and worth hidden inside" said a malicious voice behind Tintin.

Tintin gasped and turned around to see four burly goons. Three of them staring at him but the man who spoke was still glaring at the necklace in his hand. Snowy growled at the unfamiliar men, but Tintin told him the calm.

"Now young Sir" the man spoke again. "I do believe that is my necklace there. I dropped it yesterday, and it's an anniversary gift for my wife. I've been ever so worried about it, and I'd like it back…, uh, please".

Tintin observed the men before him. The man who spoke to him was rather short and plump. He was wearing a light brown tail-coat and had greasy, slicked back hair. The man's evil grin widened as Tintin watched him lie through his teeth. The other men standing behind him were reasonably taller, quite intimidating and appeared to be body guards. .

"This is your necklace is it?" Tintin replied. "And you say you lost it right here, in this very spot?"

"Yes, yes, I dropped it right here" the man said a little more urgently. "Now listen here boy, if you have any doubts that I indeed own this necklace than I'd be more than happy to, er, persuade you" the man replied. Then all four men pulled back their jackets a little to reveal handguns resting in each of their left pockets.

Tintin's eyes widened as one of the guards started to walk towards him, his hand slightly outstretched as if he expected Tintin to hand over the necklace.

"I don't believe you!" Tintin yelled at the portly man as he started to take small steps backwards.

The crooks matched his every step, walking towards him. Tintin didn't see any way out of this; he could run for it, call for help. But he'd get shot for sure. Tintin touched his shoulder again.

"Alright here's the only possible scenarios you stubborn little brat! You co-operate with us, I take the necklace, and we walk away pretending like nothing happened. Or, you don't co-operate with us, we shoot you in the head, I take the necklace and we walk away like nothing ever happened. You choose" the leader of the gang replied.

Tintin kept taking small steps backwards and held the necklace even further away from the advancing crooks.

CRACK! Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, followed by the ear-splitting sound of thunder.

"Last chance boy! Hand over the necklace or we will ensure that you never breathe again!" the man threatened Tintin, pulling out his gun.

CRACK! Another flash of lightning lit up the sky, and the flower store? Flames erupted from inside the shop and spilled onto the street creating a barrier between Tintin and the criminals.

"What's happening? Where did the fire come from? Where's the boy? Quick find him, find the necklace!" Tintin heard the leader scream. He took this window of opportunity to get away from the dangerous gang of goons.

Without sparing a glance behind him, Tintin sprinted through the rain, around the corner and to the liquor store where the Captain was to meet him.

"Captain! Captain we have to go now!" Tintin yelled as he opened the door to the liquor store.

"Tintin…you're drenched. What happened? Why are we in such a hurry?" the Captain asked as Tintin was pulling him out the door.

"I'll explain later. Right now we have to run! Get to Marlinspike as fast as we can!" Tintin said hurriedly.

"Blistering barnacles Tintin, what have gotten yourself into this time?" the Captain yelled as he sprinted after Tintin at the same time trying to hold his hat in place on his head. Snowy barked as he trotted quickly behind his two companions. The three of them turned a corner and ran out of sight in the direction of the Captain's mansion.

"Hmm, Tintin eh? Well, I expect you'll find out _exactly_ what you've gotten yourself into soon". A mysterious, dark figure lurked in the shadows between a restaurant and a drug store. A fire engine rolled past with its bell ringing loudly.

"Very soon". The figure retreated to the alley and disappeared into the shadows.

**Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeell, what did you think? Please review soon. I'd love to here from my viewers :) take care,**

**Caitlyn **


	2. The Lapis Lazuli

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, have not, and will not ever, never, never, ever own The Adventures of Tintin. The stories and characters are purely owned by Herge :)**

"I just don't understand this captain". Tintin's overly curious mind just couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something more to the grubby looking necklace that he was currently twirling in his hands.

Captain Haddock sighed as he reluctantly turned away from his newspaper to roll his eyes at the ginger-haired journalist who was frantically pacing the living room. They were back at Marlinspike Hall sitting in the front lounge near an impressive fireplace. The captain placed his newspaper on the coffee table in front of him as he prepared himself for another pointless attempt at preventing Tintin from overthinking something insignificant.

"So what? Some yellow-belly airheads wanted an old, ugly artefact. That's no reason to stick your ironically small nose into something not worth getting killed for!" Captain Haddock snapped. "I would just give it to them the next time they start to cause trouble. Maybe they're just a bunch of loony antique collectors". He suggested.

"Ok first of all, my nose is not that small!" Tintin retaliated, subconsciously touching his nose. "And second of all, I almost _was_ killed for it! And I'm going to find out whatever _it _is, whether you like it or not!" he argued back hotly.

The Captain let out a small groan of defeat. He knew that nothing short of an army would stop his young reporter friend when his mind was set on something. And by the look on Tintin's face as he studied every square millimetre of the necklace, Haddock knew that this time would be no different.

"Ugh, there's an inscription but, I can't quite make it out. I think it's French. Captain I don't suppose you have a single magnifying glass in this entire mansion do you?".

"Sorry, can't say I do m'boy. Never had the need for one" the Captain replied apologetically.

"That's ok, I have one back at my place, and I think I also have a book about olden day antiques somewhere. It's not too dark out, mind if I leave Snowy here whilst I pop over to get them? Then I'll join you for dinner?"

"I would suggest you wait til morning lad, there's a storm a brewin' just off the coast that could be here any minute, but I doubt there's any point is there?" Tintin shook his head with a somewhat cheeky grin. "Right well try not to get murdered on the way would you?" the Captain replied, being half humorous, half serious.

"Ha ha, very funny" replied Tintin rolling his eyes. "I promise to watch my step. See you in a bit. Bye Snowy". And with a quick pet of his canine companion's soft head, Tintin was out the door still puzzling over the mysterious antique.

"You know Snowy, I really wonder about that boy sometimes. I really do". Captain Haddock returned to his newspaper, as Snowy trotted over to the hearth near the fireplace ready to take a well-earned doggy nap.

* * *

The promised rain had really started to pick up by the time Tintin reached the long alleyway around the corner from his flat. The pavement was still damp and nothing besides Tintin himself moved a muscle. Remembering the Captain's request, he ran his eyes over the entire lane before taking his first step. The young reporter knew that his exceptional observation skills can fail him at the most inconvenient of times, but he gave himself the all clear and continued. The eerie feel of the alley would've made the hair stand up on the back of any ordinary man's neck, but it didn't phase Tintin as he strode through the lengthy, narrow path.

Swinging his flashlight around by the cord, he started to gather all the facts that he already knew and tried to come up with a conclusion.

_Ok, so I know that the artefact doesn't appear to hold any value. But then why were those thugs so eager to take it from me? Was there something I missed?_

Tintin placed his flashlight on a nearby dumpster and removed the curious necklace from around his neck and examined it carefully. Turning it around in his fingers, as he continued to pace between the two buildings. Tintin was at a complete loss as to why anybody would want this seemingly worthless piece of junk!

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!

"Gah!" Tintin let out a yell of surprise when a car at the other end of the alleyway honked its horn as it zoomed by. He lost his footing and fell flat on his back, the necklace flying out of his hand and hitting the wall behind him.

"Great snakes, I wonder if they even care about crashing into another car or getting wrapped around a telegraph pole!" Tintin exclaimed as he rose to his feet, subconsciously looking down to his right side, expecting a bark of agreement from his loyal companion.

Blushing a little Tintin realised that he had indeed been talking to himself. Normally he had Snowy to converse with on his investigations but the little fox terrier was most likely sleeping in front of the grand fireplace in Marlinspike Hall's large sitting room right now.

Suddenly realising how cold he himself was, Tintin pulled his coat closer around him as he searched for where the necklace had fell. But to his surprise he didn't have to look very far. For emitting a faint, bluish glow, standing out from the dark surroundings of the alleyway was the necklace. Tintin picked it up, getting a little excited that he might have at least one answer to his many questions. As he examined the antique he saw that the metal outer-casing of the necklace was almost completely cracked open, revealing a shiny, blue gem.

"Whoa!" Tintin exclaimed clearing mud off the precious stone. "This must be why everyone was making a fuss about the necklace. This gem is a rare Lapis Lazuli. It must be worth a fortune!".

"Too right you are Mr Tintin. Too right for your own good."

A rough voice from behind him made Tintin jump, but before he could catch a glimpse at his unwelcomed company a large arm was around the boy's chest, pinning his arms to his side and slowly dragging him backwards.

"No! Hel-mmmfm" Tintin's cry for help was cut short as a giant hand holding a white cloth clasped over his mouth. The familiar, sickly sweet essence of chloroform entered Tintin's mouth and nostrils as he felt himself getting weaker and weaker by the second. As Tintin struggled against his attacker the only thought that crossed his mind was: _Why is it always me?_

When Tintin finally gave in, the last thing he felt before darkness took over was his feet leave the ground as he was hoisted over the assailants shoulder and carried off. _Here we go again _Tintin thought dully to himself, then blackness clouded his mind as he fell unconscious and the two disappeared into the fog.

**Uh-oh! Looks like Tintin has gotten himself into another mess! Stay tuned to find out what happens next and please please please R&R :) **

**Caitlyn**


	3. Marquise Manor

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, have not, and will not ever, never, never, ever own The Adventures of Tintin. The stories and characters are purely owned by Herge :)**

Lightning crashed in the sky, illuminating the threatening black clouds hovering above Marlinspike Hall.

"Where is that boy? I knew he shouldn't have gone out in crazy weather like this!" Captain Haddock exclaimed loudly. Now _he_was the one pacing the spacious living room, glancing at the clock every few seconds.

_If he's not back in the next 10 minutes, no wait 5 minutes, I'll go out and search for him._

But the seconds ticked by slower than the captain would've liked. And after about 2 minutes, for the second time that night, he placed his newspaper back on the coffee table.  
"On second thought Snowy, how about we go looking for him now. Although, it's probably nothing and I'm just overreacting. The lad's brave, he can take care of himself. He probably got engrossed in one of those books he glues his eyes to all the time!"

Snowy first growled at the Captain for waking him from his delightful slumber, but the clever terrier knew from the sea-worn man's tone that something was wrong and Tintin still hadn't returned. The little canine scampered to the door waiting for Haddock to find his hat and coat.

*_Wow, humans are so slow. Woah!* _Snowy barked at Captain Haddock to hurry up.

"Yeah I'm coming, I'm coming! Don't be so impatient!"

The captain opened the door and braced himself for the storm. The strong winds were blowing in every direction and rain pierced the body like hundreds of sharp, tiny pins made of ice. The Captain was no strange to this condition as he spent many years at sea during every weather pattern ever experienced on the Earth.

"Well now to find Tintin, Snowy m'boy" said the captain. "We'll start at his apartment shall we?" And with that Captain Haddock scooped up Snowy and placed the small dog inside his large, navy blue overcoat, and strode off down the street.

* * *

"Let go of me! Help!" yelled Tintin as he was pulled out of a black car and pushed forward onto a gravel driveway.

The large man who kidnapped Tintin had placed the young reporter in the back seat of a car and driven to just outside the edge of town, to a mansion a little bit smaller than Marlinspike itself. Up until the assailant had reached the huge house, all had been quiet and going to plan, but then Tintin woke up with a splitting headache and a bad temper.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Tintin continued to struggle against the man who, even though was above the boy's weight, was having trouble detaining him. They were now at the bottom of a long stairway leading to the front door of the old fashioned building.

The rain continued to pour and Tintin shivered in the cold, his beige overcoat still in the back seat of the car. His attacker had placed it under the boys head to substitute a pillow. Tintin's hands had also been tied behind his back and a black blindfold was resting uncomfortably tight across his eyes.

"I said, Let. Me. GO!"

With a final jerk of his body, Tintin managed to shake his attacker's python grip, but it was only a split second before the giant hands were back, holding tightly to his arms. The man continued to half-lift, half-drag Tintin up the stairs despite the boys struggling.

"Alright, I've had enough with you. Now I didn't want it to come to violence or weapons but you really don't give a man the choice now do you?"

The familiar feel of a gun barrel rested between the back of Tintin's shoulder blades and his squirming ceased almost instantly.

"There, that's better. Now I hope you're going to co-operate from now on Monsieur Tintin, because I'm doing this for your own good you know".

For the first time, Tintin realised that his attacker had a slight French accent.

"Ha! My own good? So kidnapping me and putting a gun to my back is for my own good? I hate to imagine what my own _bad_would be!" responded Tintin, sounding a lot braver than he felt.

"Well put it this way my young journalisté friend, if Mr. Greystone got to you first, you wouldn't have to imagine" warned the dangerous stranger.

Tintin gulped at the idea, thinking back to the previous morning when the four armed, burly men were chasing him for the-

"Wait, the necklace!" Tintin said looking down forgetting about the blindfold for a moment. "Where did you put the necklace? And why do _you _want it so badly?"

"My God, you really do ask an unbearable amount of questions. I suppose that's why you find yourself in such trouble every now and then, yes?"

Tintin knew it was true. He couldn't help it. He just had an incurable sense of curiosity.

By now the pair were at the top of the stone staircase outside a large double-door entrance. The French man guided Tintin to a wooden bench under the front window, and somewhat roughly pushed him into it, then he took out a set of keys and opened one of the wooden doors.

"Get up, do as I instruct you, and try not to break anything whilst we're inside" the man ordered Tintin.

Beyond the doorway was a long, narrow hallway with several rooms leading off to the left and right. A little way down the hall, Tintin was led into a room to his left and forced into a chair. His already tied hands were tied again to the backing of the chair. He tested the ropes, wriggling his wrists a little, but there was no give to them.

_This guy really knows what he's doing, _Tintin thought hopelessly to himself. But being Tintin, he was able to find his current situation somewhat useful. Maybe now he'd finally get some answers.  
The blindfold was removed and Tintin could see his surroundings for the first time. He blinked at the unexpected bright light coming from the chandelier above his head. He seemed to be in a decently sized study room, almost like a miniature library. Bookcases lined three of the four walls. Tintin's chair was facing the fourth wall which featured a row of shelves holding a collection of random ornaments and photographs. In front of the wall was a nice mahogany desk with a reading lamp and matching chair, in it, sat Tintin's abductor.

"Welcome to Marquisé Manor monsieur Tintin! I am terribly sorry for keeping you in the dark, quite literally, up til now. I suppose you'd be wondering who I am and where I have brought you, yes?" said the man, who was dressed all in black and peering at Tintin from behind the desk. The guy was at least 6 foot 2 and looked to be in his late twenties.

"What, you didn't get that from all the confused questioning before?" Tintin replied, again with more macho than he intended.

The mysterious French man chuckled at Tintin's retaliation before he introduced himself.

"My name is Marc Moreau. I work for the _Unioné Anonymé_. It is an organisation quite similar to, say, the Mafia group that you stopped in America...But we are better at our job" Moreau explained.

Trying and failing to free himself from his restraints, Tintin could see what Moreau meant by being better at his job. Remembering back, Tintin now thought Smiley to be something close to a joke.

"Well I can't exactly say it's a _pleasure_to meet you" said Tintin, struggling with the ropes for emphasis. "But I appreciate your honesty. Though, it still doesn't explain why you brought me here in the first place or why you want the necklace so desperately! Where is it anyway?"

"It is not I who desires the antique, more so the people I work for. But not to worry Monsieur Tintin, we do not wish to exchange the gem for money unlike Greystone and his imbéciles. Our motives revolve more around stopping foreigners from disgracing or destroying our national treasures and uh, eliminating possible threats. This particular necklace was once a fine piece of jewellery" Moreau explained to Tintin as he pulled the necklace out from his pocket wiping away some of the mud and rust. "Queen Anne of France wore this exact ornament to many national functions until it was stolen by one of her maids and concealed with a layer of metal. It was a gift from her Majesty's husband-"

"Louis the XIV" Tintin finished for him.

Moreau paused to chuckle quietly, and then continued. "You are a smart young man, Monsieur Tintin. In fact that is the answer regarding your current whereabouts. I did not attack you for simply being in possession of the Lapis Lazuli" said Moreau, patiently waiting for Tintin to process the new information.

"Ok, so you're part of a secret organisation that protects France from foreign criminals….and you kidnapped me…because I'm…smart" Tintin thought out loud. "Now don't laugh or flatter yourself over this…but I still don't understand".

Moreau chuckled, but stopped himself when he saw the look on Tintin's face. "Well that is fair enough sir, for I didn't reveal all the facts. To tell you the truth my mission was to simply retrieve the necklace, and my original plan involved shooting you in the head then walking away with it in my pocket. But when I saw you and Greystone in the city I found you quite intriguing, so I did some research on you and changed my mind. You see Monsieur Tintin I read quite a few of your reports from _Le Petit Vingtiéme_, and I'm quite impressed with your adventures. I began to recognise your skill, both in wit and physical combat. I brought you here tonight _Mon jeune ami _to present to you a major career opportunity. I believe that our organisation will benefit greatly from your potential and I would be honoured if you trained at my side".

Moreau chuckled again at the look on Tintin's face, for the young reporter's jaw had dropped and his eyes had widened.  
"I will give you the time now to consider my offer. I expect an answer by the time I return". With that Moreau rose from his chair and walked somewhere behind Tintin.

"Wait, what? You want me to…join you?" Tintin asked a little confused. "Mr. Moreau, I've never even heard of your organisation! And where are you going? I still deserve more answers!" Tintin said, still a little dumbstruck at the random job offer.

Moreau returned within Tintin's eyesight holding the blindfold.

"Whoa! There is no way you're just leaving me here with a blindfold over my eyes!" Tintin said as he leaned back as far as his chair allowed.

"Not quite" replied Moreau.

Then he walked back behind the chair and tied the black cloth around Tintin's mouth so tight it prevented the boy from making any considerate amount of noise. Tintin struggled against the gag and tried to call out as loud as it permitted him, but he soon gave up and his body relaxed.

"Now stay right here monsieur Tintin" Moreau said, a little smile playing at his lips. Tintin rolled his eyes and continued to tug at the ropes. "I will be back within 3 hours. I believe that will be enough time for you to make your decision. You can either join us in this _merveilleux _opportunity, or I will return you to your current lifestyle for Greystone to deal with. And he won't be very satisfied when you're caught empty handed" Moreau finished as he placed the necklace carefully around his neck and tucked it into his jacket.

With that Moreau left Tintin alone in the study, as he swept down the hallway and out the front doors.

_Another bad guy, another mess! Well Tintin this is great, just great! You're completely immobilised and have only two choices: to die, or to join a secret criminal organisation. But it's getting close to 11pm now. The captain has to be out looking for me. I hope so, because he's my last chance of escaping this nightmare._

**Ok, so it may be a while before i upload again :\ sorry if the wait is long :P but tell me what you would like to hear happen next :) **

**Caitlyn **

**p.s:**

_monsieur - _Mr  
_mon jeune ami -_ my young friend  
_unione anonym - _ Anonymous Union  
_merveilleux - _marvelous/wonderful e.t.c

**Just if you were wondering :) **


	4. Search and Rescue

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, have not, and will not ever, never, never, ever own The Adventures of Tintin. The stories and characters are purely owned by Herge :)**

Pitter, patter, pitter, patter. The number of rain falling from the sky was slowing to a drizzle as the Captain and Snowy searched the streets for Tintin.

It was close to 9pm when the two entered the alley way where Tintin disappeared.

"Tintin's apartment is just around the corner Snowy, if he's not there then I don't know where he'd be" the Captain told Snowy as the little fox terrier glued his nose to the floor trying to pick up the familiar scent of his master.

Then suddenly Snowy's fluffy white ears pricked up as he turned his head to the right. He had found Tintin's scent and followed his nose to the end of the narrow alleyway.

"Snowy, what is it boy? Your place is this way ain't it?" the Captain asked feeling a little confused.

Snowy growled as he put his nose to the floor again: another scent. And it wasn't Tintin's. He barked at Haddock and continued trotting along the lane, following the two scents.

"Snowy, what's gotten into you? Do you smell something? Is it Tintin?" the Captain asked. _What am I doing? He's a dog. He doesn't have a clue what I'm saying!_

Snowy growled again at the sight of some shiny liquid on the ground, almost completely washed away by the rain, and then he suddenly darted to the middle of the alley. Captain Haddock bent down and rubbed the liquid between his fingers and smelt it.

"Hmm…motor oil!" he exclaimed. "A trail of it. All along the road. Someone's got a hole in their motor".

Snowy came trotting back into view carrying something long and black in his mouth which he dropped at the Captain's feet.

"Tintin's torch?" the Captain said suspiciously. "What's it doing here? He must've dropped it on the way home or..." the Captain paused as he considered what might've happened to his young friend. "Or he never even made it home. Snowy, here boy" the Captain whistled at Snowy who was busy picking up the scent again. "Can you er, try and find Tintin's scent? I don't like this. The lad's in trouble and it's up to us to find him!"

Snowy barked in agreement and stuck his trusty nose to the ground searching for his master's scent. Snowy's nose lead him to the drizzle of motor oil on the road next to the alley. Snowy followed the trial of oil until Tintin's scent faded away completely. Snowy barked and the Captain took that as a sign that the scent was lost.

"Well Snowy looks like this motor oil is the only clue we've got. Well now if I was Tintin I'd probably go with my gut, and my gut is telling me that this trail is rather significant. Wow, I do a pretty good impression eh Snowy old boy? Ok, so the plan is to follow the drizzle of oil, and pray to God it will lead us to Tintin, wherever he is".

Snowy barked in agreement and the two, guided by the trail of oil, walked through the drizzling rain to an unknown destination.

* * *

Knock, knock, knock. _It wasn't much of a super-secret knock like the ones you see in the pictures, but at least it separates friends from foes, _a tall Frenchman thought as he knocked on the dark wood of a large double-door entrance. A little slit near the top of one door opened to reveal a pair of dark eyes looking the Frenchman up and down. After confirming that Moreau was a friend, the man behind the door clicked several locks and opened the door wide.

"Bienvenue frère Moreau! It has been too long!" the bouncer exclaimed. "I hope you bring good news though" he said with a more solemn tone. "The directéur is not, how you say, on cloud 8 at this moment in time".

"Actually frère Leveque it's cloud 9, and don't worry about the directéur. I expect he will be very pleased with the information I have to present. Now grant me entry before the rain picks up again" Moreau replied.

With that Leveque stood aside to let Moreau in before he cautiously peeked outside and resealed the many locks. Moreau shook the excess water off his black coat and hung it on a nearby rack. It really had been too long since he stepped foot in this building. The grand foyer was dimly lit with candles, lining the walls in a perfect line, just like he remembered it. Directly ahead was a long, wide hallway with red wallpaper and a matching carpet. More candles illuminated the hallway, flickering slightly as Moreau and Leveque walked briskly past them.

"Has much changed since my last visit?" Moreau asked Leveque as they walked towards another double door entrance at the end of the hall.

When they reached the door, Leveque rested his hand on the handle and turned to Moreau.

"Our numbers are dwindling frère Moreau. Almost half our members are either dead or have abandoned us. The directéur is getting worried that our once great organisation will soon cease to exist" Leveque explained to Moreau.

To Leveque's surprise, Moreau smiled at this information.

"You are pleased with this news Moreau?"

"No I'm just as displeased as the directéur, but worried, not so much" Moreau stated.

Leveque was very confused, but he chose not to question and turned the door handle and opened one of the doors. On the other side of the entrance was a large circular room, complete with black walls, black tiled floors and a large round table with approximately twenty hooded men sitting on high back chairs. All the seated men slowly turned their heads as Moreau and Leveque entered the room and pulled down their hoods as soon as they recognised the Frenchman wearing black. A hooded man seated at the head of the table rose from his chair as Leveque and Moreau sat down on theirs.

"Frère Moreau! It has been too long! How kind of you to join your brother's in such a magnifique reunion!" the hooded man said. "I trust you have exciting news of the outside world to share with us tonight?"

Moreau bowed to the hooded man. "Indeed I do directéur. I notice that our members have dwindled to a dangerously low number. But I assure you not to worry sir, for I aim to fix this problem. In fact, I've already started".

"Is that so dear brother?" the directéur replied.

"Oui sir and I assure you, you will not be disappointed" Moreau said with a smile.

* * *

11:30pm. Near the edge of town.

"Blistering barnacles Snowy, this trail seems to go on forever! We've been walking for hours!" the Captain said loudly as he looked at his wrist-watch. "It better lead to Tintin or I swear I'll-"

WOAH! WHOA! Somewhere close by but out of the Captains sight Snowy barked.

"What is it boy? Have you found anything that _isn't _a bone!" the Captain asked Snowy slightly annoyed and remembering all the other false alarms they've had that evening.

WHOA! Snowy barked again and this time the Captain noticed why. The trail of oil had finally ended in a pool of shiny, brown liquid at the end of a very impressive driveway.

The Captain let out a low whistle. "Gee Snowy, wonder who owns this place. Almost as stylin' as Marlinspike Hall eh old boy?...Snowy? Hey wait up for me!"

The little dog had suddenly bounded up the driveway barking at the top of his lungs. _Something's got him real excited! _The Captain thought. _I only hope it's what we're looking for._

At the end of the driveway was a large, steep, stone stairway which left the Captain breathless by the time he reached the top.

"Alright Snowy… what's the…deal? Have you…caught a scent or something? It is…Tintin's?" the Captain asked in between deep breaths.

Meanwhile Snowy was jumping onto a large, wooden bench peering into a window, but apparently not satisfied with what he did or didn't see inside. The little terrier lept off the chair and onto the ground sniffing around him, letting his nose lead him to the front door of the mansion. Snowy started to whimper as he scratched his front paws against the door. He gave the Captain a meaningful look and continued to scratch one of the doors.

"Oh no Snowy, I'm not breaking in to some random bloke's house just because you smell a mouldy old bone!" the Captain exclaimed.

WOAH! Snowy barked and even growled at the Captain which the man has never seen him do before. Something was up and after about a minute of debating, the Captain sighed and took an item out of his coat pocket. It appeared to be a keyring holding several small, metal sticks.

"Now Snowy I'm not exactly proud of this, but when I was a wee lad, me and my mates used to sneak into each other's houses, you know, for pranks and dares. This gorgeous little trinket helped me win Best Prankster!" the Captain said as he fiddled with the little sticks in the lock for a bit, until he heard a click. "Bingo! Aah, she still works" he said happily giving the lock-picker a swift kiss.

The Captain opened the door and took a cautious step inside. Snowy bounded in after him and ran down a long hallway, his nose to the floor. A little way down the hall, the little dog stopped and started scratching on a door to the left. Not long after, the Captain was at his side.

"What is it? What's in there boy? Well, one way to find out I guess" the Captain said. With that he tested the handle, it was unlocked. The door creaked slightly when he opened it and as soon as the gap was wide enough, Snowy dived through it running to a randomly placed chair in the middle of the room. In the chair sat Tintin, his head slumped on his right shoulder. The Captain ran to the young reporter, and started shaking him slightly.

"Lad! Lad? Are you alright Tintin?" the Captain asked with an urgent, worried tone. At first the boy did not stir, but then he let out a low moan as he returned to consciousness.

"Mmmm-" Tintin rolled his head off his shoulder to look at the Captain. He blinked a couple times before realising who it was. "Mmf-ten!" he exclaimed (well, sort of).

Captain Haddock was finding it hard to get words out as he fumbled with the gag around Tintin's mouth. "Jesus lad, you really know how to give a man a heart attack! What happened to you? Who- who brought you _here_?" the Captain asked, a little confused but not really surprised, as he wrestled with the ropes around Tintin's wrists. "But never mind that now, we gotta get you outta here!" he said as he pulled Tintin to his feet.

"Sounds like a plan Captain" Tintin answered rubbing his wrists and smiling at his devil's luck, but then he remembered something. "Wait Captain we can't leave yet!...Quick tie me back up again!" Tintin said as he jumped back into the chair, placing his hands behind his back once more.

"What? Have you lost your mind boy? What if whoever it was who attacked you comes back? You're not making sense now lad!" the Captain told Tintin, even more confused now.

"His name is Moreau, and I know what he wants: me. But he also has what I want: the necklace. Moreau still has it with him, and i need more answers! ill explain later. Don't worry Captain, I have a plan. Now put me back the way you found me!" Tintin explained.

"Well you've got me confused lad, but ok". The Captain bent back down and tied Tintins hands behind the chair's backing again, but a little looser than Moreau had. Then he replaced the gag, again not as tight. "I hope you know what you're doing lad…" the Captain said slowly as he looked around the room. "Uh, ok I'm gonna hide in that closet over there. I assume the plan is for me to wait for the right moment to jump this Marco guy and grab the necklace" the Captain predicted and Tintin nodded. "Aah I get it now!" the Captain said, a little less confuzzled now. "You're a bright young man you know that?"

Tintin averted his eyes, feeling a little bashful, and then his head snapped up at the sound of a car door being slammed. He gave the Captain an urgent look and jerked his head towards the closet. Captain Haddock moved aside a few theatre costumes (why they were there he had no idea) before climbing into the closet with Snowy at his feet, and closed the door almost all the way shut.

Tintin decided to test a few of his acting skills and lolled his head back to his right shoulder pretending to be asleep. Hurried footsteps were heard running up the grand outdoor staircase, then the sound of a closing door sounded loud in the silence, followed by more footsteps muffled by the carpet.

Tintin twitched just a little when he heard Moreau re-enter the room. The Frenchman slammed the door shut as an attempt to wake the "sleeping" reporter. Tintin pretended to jerk awake and twisted his head to look at Moreau before rolling his eyes and facing the desk again. The large man walked slowly to Tintin's chair and leant down to loosen the gag, not realising it was already a little looser than when he left it. Tintin shook his head, making it fall to his shoulders.

"Welcome back" he said darkly as the man bent down to untie Tintin's hands.

"Merci, it's good to be back. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long Tintin" Moreau said obviously feigning sympathy.

Tintin eyed Moreau suspiciously when he didn't use the word 'mister' or 'monsieur' before his name, almost as if they were close acquaintances. _Ha, hardly! _Tintin thought. He didn't reply as he got to his feet, rubbing his wrists again and trying his hardest not to glance at the closet in which Snowy and the Captain were hiding.

"Alright now that you're back from you're little trip, do you mind explaining, well, everything?" Tintin said taking a step back from Moreau as the man started circling the young reporter almost as if sizing him up.

The Frenchman stopped walking when he approached the desk again, then he reached into the front of his jacket and removed the necklace from around his neck, carefully placing it onto the desk.

"I assure you it is quite simple Tintin and you would be a fool to decline" Moreau said as he advanced towards the young reporter. Tintin took a few steps back from the Frenchman and soon found himself pressed against a bookcase near the door.

"I have to admit you will need to, how you say, _tone _up a bit in order to…_endure_ your training as an international spy. But not to worry, I will soon fix that" Moreau said. "Under my guidance, your weaknesses with disappear and rise to match your skill in wit!"

"I'm a lot stronger than you think, and I'm pleased to let you know that I have come to a decision" Tintin said to Moreau.

Moreau repressed a small laugh when Tintin said the word "stronger", then waited quietly for Tintin to reveal his decision.

"I have decided that you and your organisation…are nothing but a worthless, sadistic gang of criminals and I'd sooner be shot than help you with your twisted acts of _justice_!" Tintin yelled at Moreau.

Moreau's smile slowly morphed into a frown as he processed Tintin's words. He wasn't used to people saying 'no' to him, neither has he the patience to tolerate it.  
"So your answer is no, is it?" Moreau replied appearing calm, taking another step closer to the, now slightly afraid, reporter. "Well you see monsieur Tintin I care not for your decision or your petty attitude towards my organisation, for the way I view it, you have no choice in the matter".

Tintin's eyes widened at what Moreau said and he took a small side-step towards the door.

"But, but you said-" he stammered.

"I know, I know. I said I would set you free if it was what you wished, but after seeing my brother's so weak and my organisation hanging by a thread, I'm afraid you will join us after all" Moreau explained, taking another step towards Tintin.

_Captain, this would be a terrific time for you to come out now. _Tintin thought desperately, his eyes quickly flitting to the wardrobe then back to Moreau.

"Oh yeah?" Tintin said finding some courage. "And how exactly do you expect to get me to cooperate?" he challenged.

Moreau paused before answering Tintin's question. "Hmm, the same way I brought you here", he replied. Then quick as a flash Moreau grabbed Tintin's right arm and twisted it painfully up the boy's back. The young reporter let out a shrill yell of agony as he felt his bullet wound rip open and the side of his face was pressed hard against the bookcase.

"You will cooperate because I am telling you to. And you _will_ do as I say; weakling" Moreau told Tintin as he pulled the boy's arm further up his back. "From now on you will address me as-"

"THAT'S IT!" a loud yell was heard from the other side of the room and the sound of doors crashing open rang loudly in the moderate space. Moreau turned around and taken completely off-guard was punched in the face by a rugged looking man wearing a navy blue overcoat. Moreau's body swung around to face Tintin, and the look of surprise was wiped off his face as Tintin swung his good arm forward, his fist colliding with Moreau's temple. The Frenchman fell to the ground unconscious and Tintin slid down the bookcase, clutching his right shoulder which was now oozing blood.

"Captain! Captain, get the necklace! It's on the desk" Tintin yelled to the Captain as more blood flowed out of Tintin's wound, the pain almost causing him to pass out. "Captain we have to get out of here, now!"

After grabbing the Lapis Lazuli necklace the Captain turned towards Tintin and his eyes widened at the sight of his young friend. The ginger-head was on the floor leaning against the bookcase, clutching a blood-stained shoulder.

"Ten thousand thundering typhoons Tintin! You're wound! The damn French bastard reopened it!" the Captain roared, starting towards the heap that was Moreau.

"Captain we have no time! Please just help me get back to Marlinspike, its closer than my apartment" Tintin replied, feeling himself get weaker as he tried to pull himself up off the floor.

Snowy yelped a bark as he pushed the door wide open with his nose. The Captain hoisted Tintin up by his good arm and pulled it around his shoulders, supporting the boy's weight as they quickly ran down the stone staircase and to the end of the driveway.

"Ok uh just breathe heavily now lad, don't think about the blood or the wound, just concentrate on staying awake ok!" the Captain told Tintin, mainly trying to reassure himself as he leaned the injured reporter against the door of Moreau's black Sedan.

"Captain I'm fine, I just need to get this wound bandaged up again. What we should do is, is-" but before finishing his sentence Tintin collapsed sideways, onto the paved driveway, his shoulder still seeping blood.

Snowy howled a low tune as he bumped his nose against Tintin's cheek. The rain had finally come to a stop and the fog had lifted enough to see that there were no other buildings around for miles. The Captain started to panic a little.

"Tintin. Tintin! Snowy this isn't good! We have to get the lad to a hospital and fast!" Captain Haddock said in a rush, as he desperately looked around him. But no matter how hard he strained his eyes, there was nothing and nobody in sight.


	5. Memories

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, have not, and will not ever, never, never, ever own The Adventures of Tintin. The stories and characters are purely owned by Herge :) **

********** approximately 3 weeks ago **********

Captain Haddock had never seen the sea so rough in all his long life as a sailor. The waves were dark grey in colour and were lurching and clashing against the dock without mercy in a menacing manner. A large sheet of sea spray saturated the Captain as he stood on the edge of a wooden pier, his eyes straining to find any sign of a vessel. A small white dog was barking and skipping around his heels, also staring into the roaring ocean. Another giant wave washed over the Captain as he crouched down, bracing himself against the raging water. He curled a whimpering Snowy in his overcoat as the pier creaked and moaned.

"Gee Snowy old boy, I just hope Tintin's alright" the Captain told the soaking fox terrier.

Meanwhile...

"Oof! You know I really cannot understand why you pride yourself on being _Ultimate Commander_ _of the sea_, when you can barely keep your own boat from capsizing!" yelled a certain soaking ginger-haired reporter who was currently sliding along the floor of a ship control room, eventually colliding with the opposite wall. "Ow! And you could've had the _common decency_ to tie me to a pole or something" he yelled over the sound of the roaring sea as he slammed into the other side of the room. Tintin, with his hands tied behind his back, was yelling at a middle-aged sailor who was struggling to keep a handle on the small, drug-smuggling boat, which was completely at the sea's mercy.

"Yeah well, if it ain't for me kid, you'd be at the bottom of the ocean right now, sleepin' with the fishes!" the man shouted, angrily, back. It was bad enough that the nosy, little reporter had stowed away on his boat, and discovered the illegal stash of cocaine he was smuggling, but he also had to keep the brat alive because the boss _"wants a word with the young man"._ If ol' Steve had it his way, the ginger nit-wit would've been dead hours ago when he struck him with the wooden plank. But Steve knows his place and whatever the boss says, goes.

"Gah!" Steve exclaimed as a tidal wave of sea water surged through a broken window of the control room, knocking him off his feet and causing him to smash his head against the floor. The impact knocked the man out cold.

"Hey, get up. Get up! You have to steer the boat!" Tintin yelled as he struggled against his restraints. Steve had also tightly tied Tintin's ankles together, which really didn't help the current situation. If Steve doesn't wake up and take the wheel soon, or if Tintin doesn't free himself in time, they would _both_ end up at the bottom of the ocean.

"Come on, come on!" Tintin said, frustrated as he pulled and tugged at the ropes. Eventually getting a hand free, he grabbed onto one of the two poles in the room and pulled himself to his feet. Managing an unimpressive hop towards the wheel before stumbling a little, luckily not falling to ground again, Tintin made his way to the ships wheel.

"Whoa! Ok, steadily now Tintin. It's just a little boat. No different to a plane! Easy-peasy" Tintin tried to reassure himself before the boat gave a great lurch and he was thrown forwards onto the wheel.

Now with a firm handle on the wheel, and the occasional sea spray saturating Tintin from head to toe, the young reporter guided the small boat through the rough seas until it came into view of the city of Brussels.

"Whoo! There it is!" Tintin exclaimed happily when he saw the dark, water logged piers of the dock. "Captain, I'm coming home- argh!"

A rough hand yanked Tintin off the wheel and he fell to the floor, twisting his left ankle on the way down. A sharp pain to his stomach came shortly after that as Steve kicked the boy in his side.

"Now stay down!" the man spat at Tintin who was now clutching at his side and trying hard not the move his ankles. "Knew I should've killed ya as soon as I had the chance! Know what? Screw what the boss says, your life ends here boy an- argh!" Steve was thrown backwards as the boat smashed into the dock and he rebounded off the wheel. The crook skidded across the floor until he hit the back wall. Tintin, however, was flung forward through the broken front window, and landed head first onto a pier.

"Argh!" Tintin exclaimed as his skull collided with the hard wood. The young reporter then slid, almost unconscious, towards the raging water below him. Tintin tried to catch himself on the ledge of the jetty but missed. Luckily the sleeve of his blue sweater got caught on a large nail. The last thing Tintin heard before he plunged into the cold, violent sea was the rrrrrrrrrrrrrrip of his sleeve as the nail tore right though his sweater. Tintin fought his hardest the return to the surface, but it was proven very difficult due to his clothes weighing him down, and his twisted ankle tied tightly to the other. After almost a minute of struggling, Tintin gave up all hope and allowed himself to gently sink towards to bottom of the ocean. His world went black.

Splash! A panic stricken sea man had broken the surface of the water as he dove in after his young friend. Though the strong waves kept pushing him and pulling him the Captain was determined to find Tintin and bring him to the surface. The current has stirred up all the sand and dirt from the ocean floor which made it extra difficult to see, but Captain Haddock's hands finally collided with another body and he wrapped his arms around Tintin's waist and kicked furiously, propelling them upward.

Spluttering and choking, the captain heaved Tintin's body out of the water and laid him flat on the dock. Taking a small pocket knife out from his coat pocket, Captain Haddock cut away the ropes from Tintin's ankles. Snowy trotted up and started to lick his master face, but the boy did not stir.

"Tintin! Tintin, can you hear me lad? Oh, please wake up Tintin!" the Captain shook the boys shoulders a little but no response came. Haddock lent down to check if Tintin was breathing and his blood ran cold when no breath came out of the boy's mouth.

"Oh God! Oh no, Snowy old boy! What do we do? What do we do?" the Captain, in his panic, forgot all his revival skills as a sailor until Snowy let out a rather loud bark, almost as if saying _get a hold of yourself man!_

The Captain jumped at Snowy's bark, and pulled himself together. Then light bulb popped alight in the Captains mind. In order to save his best friend's life, he would have to perform CPR. Captain Haddock would never forgive himself if Tintin died on his watch. The Captain checked Tintin's pulse before placing his hands in a criss-cross fashion over the boy's chest. After closing his eyes, he pumped hard on Tintin's chest.

_Ok, 1, 2, 3. _He counted in his head with each pump on the almost lifeless reporter. 

"Bah!" the Captain exclaimed as a whole lot of sea water exited Tintin's body on pump number 3 and spurted onto the man's face just as he was about to fill the boy's lungs with air.

Tintin coughed and spluttered to life as Snowy barked happily around his master legs, accidentally landing on the twisted ankle.

"Ouch! Snowy, please hop off my ankle!" Tintin said, not at all annoyed with the little dog. "Captain you saved my life; thank you" he said gratefully to a rather shocked sea captain, who was still getting water out of his eyes.

"Thundering, blistering, barnacles on a hot winters day Tintin! You gave me a right scare there lad!" the Captain said, relieved that his young friend was alive again. "You mind giving me a little heads up the next time you decide to die on me!" he said with a smile, as he pulled the boy to his feet. "Or maybe tell me in detail exactly what you plan on doing when going after no good crooks! Seriously, a little note on the table saying: "_found a lead on a drug smuggler. I'll be at the wharf. If I'm not back by 9 o'clock, call the police_". Not comforting lad, not comforting at all!" Captain Haddock was helping Tintin hobble to the row of shops near the wharf when they heard sirens blaring somewhere nearby.

Tintin laughed a little at his friend's worried rant. "Captain I'm fine!" he reassured the man. "Thanks to you of course. And I didn't have time to explain. Steve's boat was due to depart shortly after I wrote the message. So I'm sure you can see why- wait! Steve! Where is he? Captain did you see anyone else in the water besides me?" Tintin asked desperately.

"Steve, who in the blazes is Steve?" the Captain asked, a little confused. Tintin took that as a no.

"He must've gotten away. Either that or he drowned" Tintin said as he turned back towards the raging sea. Steve's boat was still beached on a pier, which was convenient as the police will be able to find the stash of cocaine, but no sign of Steve.

"Or", a coarse voice behind them said. "I could be standing right behind you, getting' prepared to shoot you both in the head! I'll start with you. The nosy little reporter who ruined my boat and my career in the events of one night!" he yelled, raising a gun, aiming it at Tintin's head.

"No!" Captain Haddock screamed as he heard the gun go off. He pulled Tintin to the ground and saw _Steve _running in the opposite direction to a police car that had just pulled up behind them.

"Phew" Haddock said with a sigh as he watched a couple of cops chase after the armed criminal. "Lad, I think we're gonna be alright" he said brightly, looking down. But the smile faded from his face quicker than it had come. For lying on the ground next to him, was Tintin, his breathing shallow and his right shoulder soaked with blood.

"Captain. Captain, did they get him? Has Steve been caught?" Tintin asked, his voice very weak, and eyes looking everywhere but his shoulder, eventually closing.

"Tintin! Oh god! Yes, yes the cops have gone after him lad. He's gonna be put away for a long time" the Captain tried to reassure his injured friend. He removed his blue overcoat and wrapped it around Tintin, making it especially tight around the wound. The bullet had just grazed his collar bone, and the boy was losing too much blood.

"Haddock, how good to see you oh-!" came a familiar voice from a short, plump British man swinging a cane and donning a black bowler hat.

"To be precise we- oh!" came another almost identical voice.

"Thompson, Thomson! Quit babbling and call a ruddy ambulance! Tintin's been shot!" the Captain growled desperately back. A small voice came from somewhere in the captain arms.

"I'm fine. Really I am. I just need a bandage and everything will be…fi- fine" Tintin said before blacking out completely.

"No. No, stay with me lad. Everything will be fine. Just like you said. Just like you always say" Haddock tried to reassure Tintin. "Look, Thompson…or Thomson, whichever one it is. They're calling an ambulance. We're gonna get you to the hospital, and, and they're gonna get you all patched up and, and everything with be fine" the Captain was now choking back tears as his best friend's body became limp in his arms.

"Tintin! Tintin, no, please wake up lad! Come one wake up for me, wake up for Snowy!" the Captain practically yelled at Tintin, though no response was received.

Tears rolled down the man's face as Tintin continued to lay motionless in his arms, whilst the sirens of a wailing ambulance approached the dock.

"Come on lad. Wake up. Please wake up?...I'm so sorry Tintin" the Captain said as he helped the medics lift Tintin into the ambulance. "I promise to never let you get hurt like this again!" he finished as the Thom(p)son's lead Haddock to their police car which followed the ambulance to the hospital.

Tintin was the best thing that ever happened to Captain Haddock. In the space of 6 quick and eventful months, the unlikely boy had become his best friend, and not a day went by that the Captain wasn't grateful for what Tintin has done for him.

********** back to the present **********

White. White was the only colour Tintin could see when he opened his eyes. After blinking a few times, he saw another colour blue. A blue and black something was in a sitting position next to where he lay. A few more blinks and Tintin saw that he was in a hospital room, with the Captain sitting next to him. For some reason his shoulder was killing him.

"Captain?" Tintin said weakly as he fully returned to consciousness.

Captain Haddock's head snapped up when he heard Tintin speak. This would be the first time in a full day that Tintin had given a measurable response.

All Haddock could do was breathe a long sigh of relief, almost as if he hadn't taken a single breath since Tintin has passed out.

"Captain. You've saved my life again. Thank-you" he said before falling into another deep, dreamless sleep.

"Anytime lad, anytime" the Captain responded readjusting Tintin's covers.


End file.
